Thursday, August 8, 2013

EXTRAORDINARY

Today, O5 command in the Information Warfare community offers about 100 weeks for a Commanding Officer to show his/her EXTRAORDINARY leadership ability.  100 weeks pass in a flash.  Being an extraordinary Commanding Officer is a purposeful choice.  The decision to be extraordinary has to be made long before one assumes command, otherwise it is too late.

From Seth Godin we know there are two key elements in the choice to be extraordinary:

1. Skill. The skill to understand the domain, to do the work, to communicate, to lead, to master all of the details necessary to make your promise of servant leadership come true. All of which is difficult, but insufficient, because none of it matters if you don't have...

2. Care. The passion to see your vision through. The willingness to find a different route when the first one doesn't work. The certainty that in fact, there is a way, and you care enough to find it. Amazingly, this is a choice, not something you need to get certified in.  It's often been said that Sailors don't care how much you know; they want to know how much you care.  Care enough to be extraordinary.  Our Sailors deserve it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Agreed. Many of our COs just don't want to do the work. Survival takes precedence over significance.

seanheritage said...

Very true, Captain and Anon 0950. Extraordinary is rare for COs and just about every other capacity. One of my most valued Shipmates finished his XO tour today and it was extraordinary. He chose to be extraordinary in every job leading up to that opportunity and I hope we give him an opportunity to be an extraordinary CO, because he will choose to be. Thanks, LCDR Seth Lawrence. Thanks for choosing to be exceptional no matter where you are assigned and especially while we made up two-thirds of the triad at the NIOC on the "Redneck Riviera".

Pat Count said...

Couldn't agree more Sean. It was my great pleasure to both serve with and learn from LCDR Lawrence; an outstanding Leader, Officer and Shipmate. How fortunate I was to have Seth as my first XO and how fortunate were we all at NIOC Pensacola to have Seth as our XO. Fair Winds Shipmate. Thanks for your dedication, mentorship and enthusiasm. It was tough to see you walk out the guard shack doors today. The string of fortune for NIOCP continues though with the arrival of yet another outstanding leader in LCDR Clay Herring. Welcome aboard Clay, I look forward to leading with you and watching you grow.